So... a little - actually, an awful lot of!! - sanding and off to my friendly painter blokein Maryborough treks I. Hans is, I suspect, a bona fide genius with an airbrush and after humming and hawing - and setting a very tight budget! - he told me he'd do his best.

Here is his best...

Not too shabby, eh?! He kept in budget, and I strongly suspect he did this out of the goodness of his heart. Photos do not show the depth and sheer presence of the finish; with that heavy flake in there, this thing just shimmers in any light!!

I managed to find a pair of MMK45s for it, and I put a set of Schecter locking tuners on. A minor problem is that the nut I bought - a Tusq Fender style - is just a little loose in the slot; suggestions, lads?? I'm leaning towards getting a new nut cut to fit, but if there's a way I can use the one I've got, then I'm all ears!! I assume fitting a shim on the headstock side of the nut is an option; the difference in size is not huge - the nut is .315" and the slot ranges from .352 - .374".

_________________Every guitarist I would cross paths with would tell me that I should have a flashy guitar, whatever the latest fashion model was, and I used to say, 'Why? Mine works, doesn't it? It's a piece of wood and six strings, and it works.'